The Hidden Pages of Our Story
by SeductiveEuphoria
Summary: What could bring the Evil Queen and Prince Charming together? What could Regina and David possibly have in common, if they're always fighting on opposite sides? What if I told you there are pages,hidden from plain sight,which tell their whole story, a story of love and war, pain and passion, hopelessness and hope... Read the missing chapters! :)
1. Behind These Hazel Eyes

_**Notes:** I started writing this fanfic about a year ago, and with the help of fellow Evil Charmers I've completed 7 chapters so far (each inspired by song lyrics;__ for instance, this chapter was inspired by Kelly Clarkson's "Behind These Hazel Eyes"_).  
_Anyway, I just hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Feedback is always appreciated.  
__The rating for this chapter is a tame T, though later on the story requires the magic M..._

**_This chapter takes place shortly after Regina meets Charming in the dungeon, but before Snow arrives to save him. (ep.1x21)_**

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Charming heard steps down the corridor, someone was coming. He expected the Queen to come to gloat again, but the steps were far too quiet to be hers; the first time she marched into the dungeon he thought thunder echoed from the damp stone walls. No, this was someone who did not want to be heard. Soon a tall dark figure approached the bars as David stood up to see who it was. A man in black armour took a skeleton key out of his pocket and opened the lock.

"I'm a friend, I'm here to help you escape…" he whispered, but the prince impatiently interrupted him, "Did Snow send you? Where is she? Is she alright?"

"Yes, she's waiting for you in a small room near the kitchen; it will be easier to sneak out of the castle from there. Follow me."

Charming's eyes lit up with the flame of hope as he stepped out from the cell and followed the stranger. It didn't matter who this dark knight was, as long as he was willing to help him escape from the clutches of the Queen. David was just a few steps behind, when the other man turned around the corner and knocked out two guards who were passing down the corridor. Not long after the first encounter, two more knights came out of nowhere. This time David was quicker and hit one unconscious. The stranger took care of the other. A few moments later, the mysterious man stopped in front of a small door and signalled to him to go inside. "Here. Quickly."

Charming walked inside to find Snow White a few paces from where he stood, and she rushed to him the moment she saw him. As he took Snow in his arms, he didn't hear the door shut behind him.

"So you rescued me after all," he whispered. All his concern and fear for her melted away in a passionate, long kiss. There was something strange in that kiss though – he couldn't quite figure out what it was. He drew back, meaning to ask her what had happened, but the question never left his lips. He stood frozen in shock, his hope fading like echo in the distance.

** He was staring at a beautiful face, but it was not Snow's.**

"Oh yes, I certainly see the allure…" Regina's laughter startled the prince and he took a few steps back.

"You!...What trickery is this!"

"Have a seat and help yourself to some food, I believe you're starving by now."

"I want nothing from you but to leave me and Snow alone! Let me go!" His blood was boiling in his veins.

"Sit down to eat, dear. What good would your freedom be if you starve to death first? Oh, that's right, you don't fear dying," she chuckled. "Allow me to impart some wisdom on you - being beheaded in the name of love might seem romantic and heroic. But trust me, you'll never meet a woman who prefers looking at your lovely head **_after_** it's been detached from your shoulders."

Charming could barely contain his rage seeing her smirk. He started towards her in a fit of anger, reaching down to his scabbard, only to find it empty. Before he knew it, his back hit the granite surface of the wall. After the violent impact, he had to struggle to remain conscious. He was gasping for air, trying to fight the invisible force that was holding him in mid-air against the rock. He tried to scream, but no sound came out of his mouth. Soon he realized his body refused to obey any commands. He was paralyzed with pain, pinned to the wall and utterly helpless.

"Promise to behave if I let you down, hmm?", the Queen inquired, a sly smile upon her lips.

Still, David kept trying to kick and shout. He tried to gather all his might, hoping he would break free. His efforts only made things worse, as tree branches appeared out of nowhere and wrapped him in a tight grip. Every move he attempted to make caused the magic binds to restrain him with even more crushing force. Eventually, Charming was so drained of energy, he had to give up his futile fight. He had no choice but to calm down and think. He had no clue what to do. He had no weapon. _If he could at least find a knife..._

Suddenly, the idea of lunch didn't sound so bad to him. All he had to do was allay her suspicions, and as soon as she let her guard down, he'd have his opening. He was tall enough and quick enough, he could close the distance between them in a leap or two; then grab a fork or a knife from the table, press it against her throat and use her life as leverage. The plan relied on her being too shocked to react, but he had to make it work. After all, he had won battles with even slimmer chances of victory.

For the moment, it was best to play along. As soon as he managed to nod in resignation, he felt the branches loosen and his feet touch the ground.

It took him a while to recover before he could stand on his feet again. At last he stood up and approached the table set for a rich feast. The Queen patiently waited for him to pick up a plate with deer meat, and then, pleased that she had his full attention, she went on.

"I met your brother James once, briefly, before he met his…untimely end," Regina started in a controlled, calm voice.

Charming instantly snapped at her, "How do you even know I had a brother?"

"Oh, I have eyes and ears everywhere, dear. Anyway, you two are so very different. Same dashing looks, similar gallant manners, but not nearly the same in the way you think. **Unlike him, you do not think _like a prince_**. Him…well, he knew about the duties and responsibilities of a royal, he would have married anyone if he was told it would be good for the kingdom. "

"I'm not my brother," he tried to interrupt, but she didn't let him continue.

"You, on the other hand, you were ready to give up any hope for power or status for the sake of love. **Being prince meant nothing to you.**" She paused, letting out a breath as she tilted her head. "**You remind me of someone…**Someone that I used to_...know_." Her voice had unexpectedly turned into a soft, mournful melody.

David fell silent, his intent gaze never leaving her. He was stunned to see her looking so vulnerable, apparently lost in painful memories. Perhaps it was a good time for him to try to attack her, or at least run, because she wasn't looking his way. She was staring at the floor deep in thought, but he was just too transfixed by her. He had all but forgotten about the knife. What use would it be anyway? Even if he managed to reach her before she used magic on him, he couldn't wound her enough to slow her down and escape.

Charming suddenly snapped out of his trance-like state and tried to remind himself who this woman was. Despite his best effort to sound harsh, his shout betrayed his hesitation. "Enough games, you evil witch!"

"You think this is a game?!" Her voice regained all its glory and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as it echoed from the granite walls. "This is a story, an important story, and you shall hear it. You need to learn who your precious Snow White is, how very rotten to the core she is!" The Queen's entire demeanour had changed to blind rage. She leaned forward threateningly in his direction, and he was expecting to have the air knocked out of his lungs again. Instead, she took a deep breath and struggled to regain composure before speaking again.

"I was in love once." By the tortured expression on her face the prince could tell she was sharing something deeply personal.

"**You…_loved someone_?**" The surprise in David's voice annoyed her too much, so she ignored the question.

"The man I was in love with, he worked in the stables. But my mother's greatest wish was for me to be queen. She wouldn't have let me become the wife of a stable boy, so Daniel and I kept our love a secret. Then one day I saved a young girl's life after her horse had gone wild." The Queen glanced at Charming, then hissed through her teeth, "Snow White."

"The next day her father, the king, asked me to marry him. **You see, just like you, I decided to run away and be with my true love**. But I shared my secret with that girl, and she told my mother, **_she betrayed me_**_**. A betrayal that cost Daniel his life."**_

Regina turned to the prince and held his gaze. The eye contact was so intense he felt uneasy and averted his eyes. He lamely shifted his weight to his elbow and looked down to his plate.

"I'm sorry that you lost your love", he offered quietly.

"You're not the one who should be sorry. The one who robbed me of happiness has never shown true remorse."

Charming frowned in disbelief. He couldn't decide what was more difficult to imagine, the Evil Queen saving Snow White's life, or the latter betraying her saviour. It had to be the truth though, because Snow never denied ruining her step-mother's life.

He looked up. "You're wrong." His tone was soft and sorrowful. "Snow does feel responsible. She told me as much when we first met. But if she was just a young girl, I don't think she meant any harm…"

"I warned her of the consequences! She betrayed me anyway!" He flinched involuntarily as Regina's expression twisted with scarlet rage. "She did not think about me, she did not heed my words, all she thought about were her own feelings and desires!"

David barely noticeably shook his head. He refused to believe that Snow could be any less caring and considerate than he'd thought her to be.

"**_Ever since the day I saved her, I've been trapped in a world that revolved around her_**… She was **_the fairest in all the land_**, she was the one the king and everyone else in the entire kingdom loved. For years, I had to soothe every fear, return every smile, support every whim, give advice when needed. **I was a _prisoner _for the sake of_ her happiness_, even though she cost me mine.** I was a prisoner in a loveless marriage, a queen to a king who only had eyes for his daughter, who never spoke about me the way he spoke of his first wife. He demanded loyalty and dedication, but he never showed me affection. **_I lived through worse than the marriage you almost lost your life to avoid._"**

A few tears rolled down her cheeks but she made no effort to wipe them as they formed wet paths on her face and landed on her dark dress. Her knees felt too weak to stand and she was forced to sit down on the nearby couch. David stood up and slowly, cautiously, started walking toward her.

"I see that you know great pain, but you have to move on, for your own sake. Sometimes you have to forget about the past suffering, and find the strength to keep looking for your happy ending."

The Queen was a strange sight as the tears turned to violent sobbing. Despite her awe-inspiring dark dress and raven curls cascading down her right shoulder, David did not find her intimidating. At that moment she curiously reminded him of a child waking up after a horrible nightmare, scared and helpless. Charming couldn't resist the urge to sit down next to her and after some hesitation wrap his arms around her. She buried her head in his shoulder as he continued.

"You know my story, Regina. You know that less than a year ago, my entire world turned upside down. In short time, I learned that I had had a twin brother I had never met, that he had died a hero's death. I had to take his place and become a prince, I had to leave all that I knew behind, including my own mother, for a life of uncertainty and danger."

He could still feel her quietly sobbing against his leather jacket, but she seemed a little calmer. "I could not afford to mourn my brother's death or the fact that I may never see my mother again. If I had let misery rule me then, I might have never met Snow and fallen in love with her. I had to let go of the past before I could find true happiness. So should you."

She drew back and the sudden movement startled him. Regina's brow tightened. She was perplexed; Charming had truly surprised her. **No one had made her feel this safe, yet vulnerable, in a long time.** She had struggled to remain strong for longer than she cared to remember. She'd had only herself to rely on, like a lone knight in the middle of a battlefield. It was no wonder that she relished the opportunity to just be weak for a moment. A warning flashed in her mind that this prince was still on Snow White's side. She tried to silence it, to convince herself that he had sympathy for her, that he saw who the real victim was. Still not entirely convinced, a part of her remained alert.

Charming carefully studied the features of the woman he was clutching in his powerful arms before realizing that he didn't see the Evil Queen anymore. **Staring back at him were hazel eyes, so deep and full of untold sorrow that he felt hypnotized, and so glossy because of the tears that filled them, he saw his own reflection. Those eyes were beckoning, silently pleading for him to kiss away the pain.** He felt his lips burning with the need to oblige the request. He cupped her face with both hands and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. His breathing quickened as his lips found hers. She had the sweet taste of apples on her tongue. Although the kiss was unexpected, she responded immediately and placed her hand on the back of his neck to pull him closer. The world stopped around them, leaving nothing but the intense contact. She playfully tugged at his lower lip with her teeth, before tilting her head back to squint up at him.

A boyish triumphant grin stole onto Charming's face when he noticed that she'd finally stopped crying. What followed was the sudden realization. **_He had kissed her_**_._ He had tried so hard to soothe her, but he had not considered what her reaction to the kiss would be. She was batting her eyelashes at him now with wonder and expectation, but he had no clue what to say or do. He felt awkward, his mind frantically searching for an excuse for him to look away or change the subject. It seemed like an eternity had passed, when he finally thought of something. He cleared his throat, and used the opportunity to move his hands away from her face. Regina looked genuinely puzzled.

"So will you leave us be then?" He meant to sound more hostile and cold than he actually did, but the change in his tone was obvious nonetheless.

"I told you how she destroyed my happiness, I shared my secrets with you, and you still want to be with her?!"

"If you must, take my life, just let Snow live…" Charming was pleading, but that only enraged the Queen further.

"Guards! Seize him!" Four black knights immediately stormed into the room and surrounded David. "Take him to the dungeon!"

"Please, don't harm her! It will fill your own soul with darkness that will never let you be happy! You'll never find peace!" The prince was screaming in desperation as the guards dragged him out of the room. He was sure his words fell on deaf ears.

Later that night in the dungeon, his thoughts drifted to Regina again. It had been so easy to loathe her before, when she was nothing more but an evil witch to him. Now, he couldn't make up his mind whether he hated and despised her, pitied her or simply wanted to mend her broken heart. **He had never before thought it possible to have so many conflicting feelings for a person. And yet this strange mix of emotions she evoked was too seductive. He had never known anyone so enigmatic before.**

He shook his head._ No, he couldn't allow himself to think that way, to hesitate._ He couldn't let her corrupt him, his heart belonged to Snow White, to his last breath and beyond hope. Regina had probably used an enchantment to confuse him, it was suspicious how she had insisted that he eat the food. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to believe that. When he finally convinced himself it was a spell, he was drowsy at last and rested his head against the cold rock of the cell.

As he was falling asleep, a single image stuck in his mind and stayed there until he was finally unconscious: _**the sight of sad hazel eyes looking up at him.**_


	2. Frozen

**_Still set in 1x21, immediately after the previous chapter. Inspired by "Frozen" by Madonna. :)_**

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The beast was at least the size of a bear, but it had the head of a lion and the body of an enormous wolf. It stood up on two feet while it tried to strike the prince with its mighty paws. Charming lunged at it, then ducked to avoid being hit in the head. He rolled over and swiftly jumped back on his feet, making a new attempt to chop the beast's paws off. The dreadful creature bared its sharp teeth at him and growled threateningly. It moved just in time before the sword could reach it. However, the next blow the man aimed at it found its target. It shrieked in pain as dense blue liquid started gushing from its torso where the flesh had been cut by the steel. Before the prince could strike again to kill it, it quickly retreated further into the cave. Charming was about to chase after it when he heard a muffled cry. He traced the sound to a cavern with an underground stream.

The source of the cries was a young woman who sat on top of a large rounded rock in the water. She had huddled up, with her knees brought up to her chin. She was holding something with both hands, and to Charming's surprise, it appeared to be a chunk of ice. When he approached her, he saw that she was naked and shivering. He took his cape off and threw it around her shoulders.

"Who are you?"

Instead of answering his question, she said in a shaky voice, "Help me, it won't work."

It took Charming a few moments to realise she was referring to the ice in her hands. Turning his attention to it, he noticed that it had the shape of a heart.

_This is far too strange_, he thought. He had to find out what was really going on. He came closer to her and lifted her chin up with his hand. His eyes grew wide. "Regina?!"

Suddenly, the woman's face faded and the bright light of a torch stood in its place. Reality came crashing in on him.

"Wake up, we're taking you to the Queen."

Charming opened his eyes but before he managed to focus them on the man who had growled the command, the guard kicked him in the ribs. Four tall dark figures surrounded him and dragged him out of the damp cell. He brought his hand up to rub his eyelids so as to shake the sleep away. He was immediately poked again for the unnecessary stalling.

David tried to keep a mental map of the palace and look for the best escape route on the way to the Queen's quarters. He kept glancing in every direction despite the guards' grumpy warnings. An emblem on a small door in the shape of a wolf caught his glimpse and reminded him of the beast in his dream.

Then he remembered Regina's pleading eyes. It was his nature to always help a damsel in distress, and he could tell she did need help. She needed support and guidance to realise that the path of destruction led only to more heartache, not only for the one in pain, but also for the one inflicting it. Showing her understanding had briefly stripped her steel mask off; alas, that wasn't enough to convince her of the futility of revenge. His jaw clenched in frustration: he didn't want to abandon her in the darkness that gripped her mind, but if she wasn't willing to heed his words, what could he do?

After what seemed like hours of walking down cold granite corridors and past heavy walnut doors, David was eventually pushed into a spacious hall. In the middle of it, on a velvet-wrapped couch, sat Regina. Her hair was falling freely around her shoulders, forming waves of raven strands which contrasted her tight crimson corset. Tiny flames from the fireplace were reflecting in her black satin robe, dancing and swirling over the dark fabric. Charming's gaze wandered over the curves of her voluptuous figure and down her slender legs. She was certainly a vision of seduction, but he couldn't let her know that it hadn't escaped his attention. He swallowed hard and let his glare settle somewhere on her robe. Relief washed over him when she gave no sign to have noticed his reaction.

"Did you get any sleep, Charming? I trust your chamber was comfortable enough", she said mockingly. When he didn't respond, she glanced in his direction.

"I know I couldn't sleep," she added in a husky voice.

_Who could sleep in such a tight corset_, he wondered in amusement. Then he saw that she was truly weary, with a tired look on her face, and bloodshot eyes.

"Ever since I saved Snow, I've had nightmares," she confessed in a distant voice. "I often have the same dream over and over again... It's Daniel, standing near the tree where we used to meet. He is shouting something to me, but the wind is so deafening that I cannot hear him. When I get closer, I notice that his expression is grim, his face pale, his voice threatening...I've never seen him so angry; it wasn't like him to be anything but kind. Yet he's glaring at me with such disdain and reprehension that I can hardly bear it." Her eyes gazed at things the prince couldn't see. "**If I hadn't saved Snow White's life, Daniel would still be alive...****_I should have let her die on that horse_****.**"

Charming's mouth fell open in shock, but there were no words to say. His heart sank in his chest. Regina didn't hold only Snow White responsible for Daniel's demise: it was just as tragic that she somehow blamed herself for saving the girl's life. What kind of twisted logic was that? **How could anyone regret doing something actually quite honourable? **He stared at her with the deepest sympathy, a lump in his throat.

"Don't you understand? I owe it to Daniel to at least punish the girl whose betrayal cost him his life."

David sighed loudly, feeling more and more powerless. He wished he knew a way to make her realise how pointless and self-destructive vengeance was. If only he could persuade her to move on with her life, he would be saving both women from harm and anguish. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Regina, if the stable boy really loved you, he wouldn't want that for you, he wouldn't ask you to kill in his name... You don't have to hurt Snow, nothing good comes out of more suffering."

Her expression softened and her voice lowered, it was only a step above a whisper, **"But that may be my only chance to be rid of the regrets and nightmares that haunt me."**

"What then? Will the nightmares stop? Do you really think you'll be happy?" He watched her intently with his azure eyes. She gave him an apologetic smile.

"That's the only way I see."

He pushed further.

"**What about your mother?** You told me she was the one who didn't approve of your choice. Wasn't she somehow responsible for Daniel's death?"

Regina's expression grew sullen with the sting of remembrance, but she said nothing. For a brief moment, she considered telling him about Cora's monstrous act of betrayal, but the words just wouldn't leave her lips. How could she admit that her own mother had ripped out the heart of the man she loved, in front of her very eyes? She was suddenly shaking, the horrendous memory seeping back into her mind.

But David decided to press the matter further. **_"Will you kill her too?", _**he blurted out harshly, oblivious of her inner struggle. His hot glare penetrated her, reprimanding her. She took a deep breath, her nostrils flared, her fingers tightened into fists.

"How I deal with my mother is none of your concern." Her voice was low and sombre, dripping with hostility. Rage flashed in her eyes; the vulnerability and honesty that he'd seen in them had suddenly vanished, gone like the last rays of light when the day was done. And sure enough, there it was, that steel mask again, exuding nothing but unrestrained loathing and cruelty.

"But onto more pressing matters. You have an important choice to make. You can have your freedom on the simple condition that you never see Snow White again." The Queen stood up in a single fluid motion as the robe billowed open and twirled around her shape. "**Or…****_You can share her punishment."_**She pronounced the sentence dramatically, making a long pause after it to enhance the effect.

"Tomorrow she will finally pay the price of her heinous betrayal. She will be imprisoned for all eternity, neither alive nor dead, but caught in endless dreams formed of her own regrets." **Every word rolled off her tongue with sweetness unsuitable for the meaning it carried. "**Justice will be served." The Queen's eyes sparkled with glee.

Charming's mind was racing in a fit of panic. Horror and despair overwhelmed him at the thought of Snow White's inescapable doom. He had failed to get through to Regina and change her mind. _Or perhaps he had been wrong, and there was no good left in her to save after all._

"You can choose to take on half that burden for a day. **You will share her memories, her nightmares, her feelings.** After the day is through, you will be brought to me again and you will then tell me if she feels remorse for her crimes."

"And why would you do this? If you hate Snow so much, why would you agree to lift half her burden, even if for a day?" There was a hard edge to his voice. **_"What aren't you telling me?"_**

"I never said I would _lift_ her burden, dear. I'm merely giving you the choice to share her perdition, thus cutting her torment in half. You will feel whatever she does." Her lips curved in a wisp of a smile. "I can't promise it will be fun."

"I would do anything to ease her pain," he offered resignedly.

"As I thought," the Queen whispered, her voice laced with disappointment. She approached the fireplace and retrieved a flask and a silver cup from a small chest. She poured some strange, sparkling, purple liquid from the flask on the bottom of the cup. Then she filled it all the way up with red wine and held it out to the prince.

**"This will link your minds for a day. Drink it now, it will take effect in a few hours; you will know when it does."**

Charming took the cup without hesitation and drank it at a gulp. Some wine ran down his chin. Regina lifted her hand and ran her index finger over his face to wipe the drop away. She was at a few inches' distance from him and he could feel her warm breath on his skin. She purred teasingly in his ear.

"So tell me, Charming, what do you think she will dream of? Do you think she will suffer for the lives she destroyed? Hm?" She arched an eyebrow.

"I won't tell you what you want to hear," David uttered with resentment. Just to spite her, he added, "I vow to one day find and free Snow from your spell. Then you will be the tortured one, you have my word for it..."

"You vow?! Ha..." The Queen seemed utterly amused at his words. "You think you can defy me, that you can escape me? Then you are as foolish as you are "**_Charming_**"... "

Sudden movement in a mirror on the wall caught her glance and she turned her attention to it.

"Well, I suppose it's time for us to meet Snow White. She and her misguided friends have finally decided to storm king George's castle, where they expect to find you." She rubbed her hands together in excited expectation. " It was about time really, I was getting bored..."

Regina gave a throaty laugh as she watched Snow in the magic mirror, climbing walls and attacking castle guards. The Queen seemed particularly entertained when a squad of fairies started sprinkling fairy dust over the town square.

"Quite a performance, I must say! **Animal tricks, acrobatics, and now even fireworks… All they need is a clown and they can found a circus troupe!**" Her Majesty chuckled, glancing at Charming who anxiously watched the mirror with growing concern for his friends. "Oh, where did the time go, I should change. And let's get you back to that dungeon, shall we?" She smiled at him one last time before the knights marched in and took him away.

David was violently shoved back into the cell. A large mirror was brought in by the soldiers, but he didn't bother to inspect it. He heard the key snap into the lock, followed by the gruff loud voices of the men walking away from the bars and heading back to the corridors.

He had to escape and get to Snow White. One day they would have their happy ending together. If that meant fighting the Queen, so be it.

**_To hell with Regina and her heart of darkness_****,** he thought bitterly as he leaned against the rock.


	3. Corrupt

_**Notes: The rating for this chapter is actually M (in other words, it's smut-ish, and also involves short descriptions of physical pain, so read at your own risk). **Ironically, this chapter was written long before ep.2x21 of OUAT was broadcast, and the fact that it involves *spoiler for 2x21* a spell linking the minds of two people, while they are in physical pain, is purely coincidental._

_**The chapter is set in 1x21; it begins at the precise moment Snow White takes a bite from the poison apple and falls under the Sleeping Curse. **_

_**Inspired by Depeche Mode, "Corrupt". Enjoy! :)  
**_

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**"What have you done to her? ****_What have you done?_****"**

Charming was screaming at the top of his lungs, but all he could hear was the sound of his own fury. Then the visions started and he fell to his knees, his hands shooting up to his head in a desperate attempt to shut them out. Images appeared in his mind for fractions of a second and then they were gone before he could make any sense of them. A spectrum of emotions passed through him like a storm and threatened to pull him further away from reality and sanity. Euphoria was followed by a profound sense of loss and sorrow. Red-hot anger replaced sympathy. Then it was all over the way it had begun, abruptly.

Charming tried to get up, but he immediately passed out, and he was still unconscious when they took him to the queen. She spun around on her heels and watched the guards place him in a chair right next to her bed.

_Magic comes at a price, dearie…_ The warning echoed in her head, reminding her of her plan and of the reasons she had the prince brought to her bedchamber. The true purpose of the potion Charming had drank without hesitation, was to give him a glimpse into Snow White's past, let him witness her mistakes and experience her regrets. A fortunate side effect, as Rumplestiltskin had explained to her, was that if the person taking it became overwhelmed by strong emotions for a day, he'd be completely unable to feel anything the next. Magic required balance, and now that balance had to be restored.

Her lips curled into a small smile. If the prince was truly stripped of his feelings, his actions wouldn't be guided by love or concern, or anger… She glanced at his face which was now devoid of emotion. If she didn't know better, she would have thought he was sleeping peacefully, his eyelashes fluttering lightly. It was almost endearing, seeing him look so child-like.

But then her sight grew dim as Regina recalled their first encounter in the dungeon, the way he had arrogantly rejected her and offered to die in Snow's place. **_He thought he was so noble, so special…_** Was he really? Or was he just as fallible as any ordinary man? She had the chance to test him now. **She had the perfect opportunity to corrupt Prince Charming.**

Some time passed before he came to. At first, he couldn't tell where he was or why he was there, but soon the haze started to fade.

"Now tell me, Charming, how did it feel?"

It was strange to be able to hear again after the prolonged silence. Her voice was pleasant in his ears, rotund and warm. He strained his eyes to focus and recognized her features. She stood out on the small balcony, lit by the moonlight, in anticipation of his answer.

"Regina?"

Her brow went up. "Why so surprised? You're here to keep your end of the bargain. So, tell me about Snow White's dreams. About her regrets."

It would have been natural for the prince to feel rage, or hatred, or at least frustration. Instead, he was dead-calm.

"I felt her pain", Charming heard himself say before he could decide if he should. "At first, it was just the physical torment, but when the visions came, the experience was all the more dreadful," he said in an even voice as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"What did you see?" , the Queen urged him to elaborate.

He shrugged. "I told you all there is to tell."

Charming sat still and impassive as Regina glared at him. Her plan seemed to be working: his behaviour was uncharacteristic of his hot temper. Her features eased into a sly smile: it was time to make her next move.

"**We don't have to be enemies, dear.** You've had a close glimpse of what Snow White is like on the inside. I can tell your infatuation with her is now gone, look deep into your heart and you'll know I'm right." She paused, waiting for his reaction.

_How could the Queen even suggest that?!_ He had put his life in danger in order to save Snow from darkening her soul, of course he cared about her. But…_was he really in love?_ How could he have feelings for a girl he barely knew, a stranger he'd spent just a few hours with? In a few moments, the apathetic look on his face turned to confusion.

"Tell me the truth, Charming, do you still think you love her?"

David didn't voice his surprise at finding that Regina was right. Her Majesty crossed the room in a few long strides and came to a halt just in front of him.

"What you thought you felt…It was just an illusion which has now started to fade. And you'll soon realize she was not worth all that trouble."

She raised his chin up with her index finger and bent forward, putting her face closer to his.

"I could order your execution right now." Her lips were brushing his and they shared a breath as she whispered, **„But it would be such a waste."**

She cautiously slid her hand down, over his shoulder, and rested it on his chest. He didn't slap it away.

"You deserve so much better than that girl…"

Unexpectedly, Charming grabbed her arm, stood up and spun around her in one smooth swift movement, making her lose her balance and fall onto the bed. Before she realized it, he had pinned her down, pressing her body down with his, and squeezing her wrists tightly at her sides so she couldn't so much as flinch. He had noticed that she could conjure magic with the wave of her hands, so he tried with all his might to keep even her fingers stone-still to prevent her from using her powers.

"And what makes you think that I want _you_?", he hissed through his teeth.

Her throaty laugh filled the room.

"Why else would you be lying on top of me, in my bed, dear?"

She locked her eyes on his in a silent challenge, a provocation.

The realization that she was trying to seduce him slowly started to sink in. **The idea that Regina was attracted to him was both flattering and disarming; it began to creep into his mind, finding its way to the darkest corners of his subconscious.** He couldn't deny he thought her a ravishing creature, as stunning as she was dangerous. His imagination ran wild, unrestrained by feelings or morals, playing scenes in his head that he'd normally be too ashamed to dream of.

David took a sharp breath, inhaling her intoxicating scent. He considered only briefly if there was any good reason that could make him try to fight his lust. His feelings for Snow seemed like a distant memory, so inexplicable and irrational that they seemed surreal. Nothing in the world outside the room meant enough to him at that moment to make him turn away. He was only dimly aware that he might later regret his actions, and somehow that was even better: it was all the more liberating, all the more enticing, to be able to reach and taste the forbidden fruit without the immediate pang of remorse. Charming finally yielded to the overwhelming temptation: he dove down to her lips, and started kissing Regina feverishly. His grip on her hands loosened gradually, until he let go of them completely.

Free of his control, the brunette hooked a foot around his waist and pushed him on his back. She climbed on top of him and placed her hands on his abdomen for support. His body tensed instinctively, his muscles hard under her palms. She purred like a cat pleased with catching its prey after an exhausting pursuit.

He tried to push himself up on his elbow, but the sudden sharp twinge in his shoulder made him cry out in pain. He had completely forgotten about the damage Snow's arrow had caused a couple of days before that. The wound had opened again because of the exertion and warm blood was gushing from it. Gasping against the racking agony of the attempted movement, he dropped back before he had managed to lift his shoulder an inch off the bed. He shut his eyes and waited for the throbbing ache to go away.

When he finally looked up, he saw a wide-eyed Regina staring back at him, flustered and alarmed. David tried to force an apologetic smile.

"I'll be fine, it's not as bad as it seems."

She shot him a scolding frown as she made quick work of the buttons of his black leather jacket and slowly helped him take it off. The white shirt underneath was still stained with blood, some of it already dried, some of it fresh. When it was off, too, she took a closer look at the flesh torn by the arrow. Her dark eyes came back up to meet his. Still holding his gaze, she planted a soft kiss on the wound. The crimson dense liquid painted her lips as they brushed against the broken skin. Charming followed her actions with unbridled curiosity and increasing raw excitement. Her sharp white teeth slowly sunk in the injured shoulder, just deep enough to bite into his flesh, causing him to grimace with pain, but he made no sound or effort to stop her. He seemed captivated by her every move, ready to obey her every whim, play along in every fantasy. She pulled back and paused to savour the sweet taste of her complete control over him. Her eyes hovered over his bare chest hungrily.

Regina brought her fingertips to the place where her teeth had just been. The wound began to heal rapidly and after a few brief moments there was no trace of it.

"All better now," she said in a husky voice.

She leaned closer to his face and gave Charming a warm, ardent kiss, letting him taste his own blood on her tongue. It was a curious experience, sharing the salty flavour with her: he had been injured while saving her life, and she in turn had closed his wound and relieved his pain. His flesh still tingled with the wondrous sensation of the touch of magic. **What a paradox that was, having both the ability to cause suffering, and the precious gift of healing. **He pulled back, smiling his appreciation of the way she'd shown him both those talents. "You're truly full of surprises."

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet." She bit her lower lip, wetting it with the tip of her tongue as he watched her.

"Let's do something about it then…" His hands started roaming over the curves of her body hastily and insistently, his fingers undoing laces and buttons, tugging at red velvet and gliding over slippery silk, until finally he had removed every piece of clothing on her. Naked and exposed to the cool night air filling the spacious room, she pressed harder against his hot body, as if to seek shelter from the cold. He felt her grab the tongue of his belt and yank the buckle open. Just before she managed to pull his trousers all the way down, he decided to take charge. He slid one arm around her waist, using his other one to roll over and push her on her back. He pulled back, kicked the trousers on the floor and crouched at the end of the bed, then planted a feather light kiss on the inside of her thigh. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out while he traced a line of kisses up and down her leg. Each time he pressed his lips against her skin, she felt a wave of heat go through her body, until she could barely stay in control of her own reactions. Then suddenly, he drew back, remaining still for a moment just to look at her.

Immediately missing the contact, she squealed impatiently at the teasing and pulled a bed sheet over herself in pretend discontent. "So you're an expert in torture now?"

With a devious smirk on his face, David lazily dragged his fingers along the side of her thigh. He sat up and folded his legs beneath himself, then he pulled her up and drew her nearer. Without protest, she sat in his lap, facing him, and rested her arms on his shoulders.

Her eyes closed as she felt him inside at last. He silenced her sigh in a wet kiss. Still holding her tightly in his embrace, he grazed the supple skin of her shoulder with his teeth. She arched her back, allowing him to trace a path of blazing hot kisses over her exposed neck and breasts. He felt so good, moving inside her rhythmically, making her forget all about reality, and the hurt and danger it brought every day. All that mattered was pleasure, and enjoying the intimacy of the contact. Dark tresses fell freely in front of his face when she leaned forward. Feeling closer and closer to a climax, he grabbed her hips to hasten their pace, and she dug her nails in his back in response. His thrusts were getting more erratic and shallow, and it wasn't long before both felt ecstasy ripple through their flesh. Finally spent, he lay back on the bed, gasping to catch his breath, and she huddled up next to him, resting on his chest. She tilted her head to plant a soft kiss close to his heart.

**"I told you it's better to be on my side, Charming."**

* * *

A few hours later, near dawn, David woke up. He was still dazed, trying to get his bearings in the twilight of the room, when he slipped away from the bed and started picking up his clothes from the polished floor and putting them on. The sudden movement startled Regina and she raised her head with annoyance at the rude awakening.

"What am I doing here?!" Horror was creeping into his voice as he started recalling the events from the night. "You must have done something to me! I…"

Her Majesty shot him a cold look of indifference. She pursed her lips in a smile, mocking his appalled and bewildered expression.

**He understood. He didn't know _how_, but he knew _why_.**

The Queen had proved to him how easily she could corrupt him. He was merely a man, a man like any other. Underneath the armour of defiant bravery and romantic ideals lay dark desires and insatiable lust, just as she had assumed.

When the guards had taken him away again and the room was empty, she put her head back on the pillows. Strange sadness took the place in her heart where triumph was supposed to reside now. She had managed to seduce him, but without the aid of magic, could she have accomplished her plan? Could she ever have attracted his attention, his affection, if they had met under different circumstances? She reached to touch the pendant hanging around her neck. In any case, it mattered little now. **In this world, in this life, Prince Charming was bound to hate Regina more than anything, more than ever.** Besides, he had outlived his usefulness.

**_ It was time for him to die._**


	4. Breath of Life

_**Notes: **Although I wrote this before ep.2x17 aired, I think it's still consistent with the show. :) Set during the time of Storybrooke's creation. Inspired by** Florence and the Machine, "Breath of Life".**_

* * *

**There she stood, basking in the glory of the moment.** The Queen had her victory, at long last, after many sacrifices, after an eternity of misery. The mysterious purple storm was swirling around like a vicious tornado, sweeping everything in its way, destroying the old world and replacing it with a new one. She looked around and marvelled at the metamorphosis, speechless and humbled. It was exquisite magic, she had to admit, weaving demolition and creation all at once.

As she was turning around her eyes fell on a strange figure on the ground not far from where she stood. Prince Charming was lying there unconscious and utterly defenceless. If he wasn't dead already, he'd soon be.

Regina's gaze grew dim. _**Surely the best revenge against Snow would be to let him die right there in the open.**_A life for a life, a fitting payment of the price of betrayal. Charming's death would once and for all deprive Snow White of her chance at happiness, her one true love. And all Regina had to do was stand idly by and do nothing.

The Queen tilted her head to the side as her brow creased with hesitation. She took a few steps towards the man. Was it a crime that he had fallen in love with the wrong person? Maybe he was blinded by his feelings and failed to recognize the wretchedness inside her. After all, the girl managed to deceive many with her kind exterior. The whole kingdom thought her to be 'the fairest of them all'.

Still torn, Regina gritted her teeth. Time was running out for the prince.

**_If only he didn't remind her so much of Daniel…_**

She knelt next to him and gently traced his wounds with her hand. The flesh healed instantly beneath the soft glow of the magic until there wasn't a scratch left on him.

Then the Queen pulled out a white rose with a short stem from a pouch hooked on her belt. _**The paralyzing curse would provide the best compromise: David would be alive, but unconscious and separated from Snow White.**_ Even though the power of true love could undo any curse, and this was no exception, how would Snow even remember who he was? Besides, this was only a temporary solution until Regina decided his fate.

She dragged the rose across his palm, letting the single sharp torn pierce the skin. A few drops of blood coloured the rose's petals. Regina exhaled: it was done.

She finally stood up and looked into the distance. It was time to begin her new life. **It was time for her happy ending.**


	5. Roads Untravelled

_**Notes:**__ This chapter __**takes place in Storybrooke between s1x07-s1x08**__. Inspired mostly by __**Linkin Park - "Roads Untravelled"**__, but I suggest listening to __**Madonna - "Love Tried To Welcome Me"**__ as well because it's scarily appropriate for Regina. Enjoy and review! =)  
_

* * *

**The clock struck 4 pm.** For the first time in months, if not years, Regina was alone at home on a Saturday afternoon. The weather outside was as sombre as her mood was, with charcoal heavy clouds gliding in a leaden sky, and cold winds howling in the streets. The amber-coloured apple cider stirred with the ice as she idly shook her glass. She was staring into empty space, lost in thoughts. Loneliness was the only thing staring back, baring its sharp teeth at her like a savage beast.

**_Graham._** Yet another name to add to a long list of people she had to learn to live without. She'd try hard to erase him from her mind, of course, to forget him. And if she couldn't do that, she would have to become accustomed to living with the pain, burying it deeper and deeper every day.

Try as she might, she couldn't banish the vision of his beating heart turning to dust in her hand. To distract herself from it, she tried to recall if she kept any presents or keepsakes from him. All she could think of were a handful of trinkets exchanged during the holidays, and it was no surprise; she'd always insisted on keeping him at arm's length. After all, he could never have feelings for her: not since she ripped his heart out to keep him under control.

**It was cruel irony that somehow in the end her "pet" had come to mean more to her than she did to him. **

Slowly taking a sip from the cold drink, she kept pondering over the past. Was there anything she could have done differently, given the circumstances? Returning his heart had been simply out of the question: the risk that the truth about the curse would be revealed had been far too high. Even more frightening, however, had been the ominous possibility that he would not have feelings _for her _but for _someone else_. And if the events preceding his demise were any indication, the Mayor's greatest fears for such aftermath had been justified.

Closing her eyes, she repeated to herself that there was no reason to regret his death. Graham had come far too close to exposing her secrets, and he had sealed his fate by siding with the blonde trouble maker. So why couldn't the chilled cider draw her thought away from him?

Madam Mayor shook her head in frustration. She had to force herself to stop glancing at the clock on the wall as the arrows raced to strike 5 pm. She couldn't afford to mourn Graham any longer. She couldn't dwell on her memories of him. **All she would allow herself was one last toast to Graham Humbert, the sheriff, the huntsman, the wolf.** Someone knocked on the door just before the rim of the glass touched her lips. Taking a swig in solemn silence, she pushed herself up from the couch, then set the glass down. The slight buzz from the alcohol sent her head spinning as she slowly walked toward the door to check who the visitor was.

She tipped her head to the side, puzzled to see the man at her doorstep. "David?"

"Hi, is this a good time?"

**_No, it wasn't a good time at all. _**She wasn't in a mood to meet anyone. She wasn't looking her best, she imagined, after getting so little sleep and having spent most of the day sulking. She had dressed to go out as Henry expected, but she couldn't find it in her to do so. Unexpectedly, she became worried that her hair might be messy and her skirt might be wrinkled. She discretely straightened out the black fabric and smoothed back the stray wisps of hair hovering over her cheek.

"Yes, of course, come in." Before David had a chance to decline the invitation, she extended her arm in a welcoming gesture and promptly added, "I insist."

Reluctantly, he set foot inside. While Regina was pouring him a drink, he glanced around and complimented her on her lovely home. Though Madam Mayor had never been one for small talk and niceties, she appreciated the change from the prolonged bitter silence to the rumbling soothing tone of his voice. She handed him the crystal glass as he was sitting down, and took a seat opposite him.

"So…How are you holding up?", David asked in soft compassion. "My wife told me the sheriff and you were close, you have my sincere condolences. I can only imagine how devastating it must be to lose someone you care about so suddenly, without even the slightest warning."

**_Lose someone you care about…So suddenly…_**The words slammed into her with the weight of a thousand hammers. Her mind wandered in painful memories, reopening old wounds. As she reached to pick up her glass, her bottom lip began quivering. She dared not talk, lest she start pouring out. She silently swallowed her tears and forced a sad smile, then took a sip from the apple cider to avoid replying.

"You've done so much for me and my wife, you know you can always talk to us, right?" He lifted his eyebrows to lay emphasis on the offer.

She nodded. "I appreciate the sentiment."

"Anytime," his hand swept the air in a dramatic gesture. "Listen, why don't you and Henry join us for dinner at our home this week? It will be our pleasure. Kathryn and I could use a friend's company."

Regina looked down to the sparkling golden liquid as she considered the invitation. She couldn't imagine David being too happy about such a dinner, especially if he feared that his night walk to the Toll Bridge could come to light. It had to have been his wife's idea.

**It never seized to amaze and mystify her that Kathryn showed her kindness.** The only person she had dared to call a 'friend' before, Maleficent, hadn't hesitated to mock and hurt her, and yet this poor soul shielded from the truth of the past not only expressed gratitude for Regina's help and concern, but also tried to return it in kind. **It was the strangest feeling, like watching an iridescent butterfly hovering over a flower, in the middle of a vicious hurricane.** How could she stop and appreciate the beauty of **something so****_ exquisite, fragile, _****and so very****_ doomed_**, such as their new friendship, when disaster roamed ever closer?

If Miss Swan was who Regina suspected her to be, the Queen's "happy ending" was in grave jeopardy.

**_If the curse were to break… _**

David stood just opposite her, in expectation of her answer. Regina's brow drew down with sudden dread.

**_If the curse were to break,_**** alongside the many dire consequences, Charming would be reunited with Snow White. **That single thought jolted her into acute awareness of her surroundings, of his presence.

Like a bolt from the blue, everything came into focus and she knew precisely what she had to do. She'd tried threatening Mary Margaret, but that had failed; so if she couldn't keep the school teacher away from David, she had to find a way to keep him away from her. The invitation had come at just the right time, when she needed a distraction the most. It was a perfect opportunity to get closer to David, steer him away from Mary Margaret.

**A new sense of purpose replaced the pain and loneliness that had gnawed at Regina before David Nolan's unexpected visit.** Her mind was working frantically, piecing together a plan to be executed with caution and precision. All she had to do was convince him of her benevolence toward him, gain his trust and friendship, and it wouldn't be long before he was under her control.

Only a few moments had passed before she gave David her answer.

"I would love that", she leaned forward ever so slightly in assurance of her enthusiasm. He smiled back his approval.

"And what have you been doing lately? Are you getting enough rest at home?"

"Uhh…A little too much rest actually…" He sighed loudly with frustration and exasperation. "I'm running some errands for Kathryn today, and it's good to finally feel useful again. I don't enjoy staying at home too much."

"Really?" She lifted an eyebrow, her lips slowly curving into a satisfied smirk. This was going to be easier than expected. She set her glass on the table and ran her fingers over her dark hair. **"Then how would you feel about taking a job?"**

"That would be… amazing." His eyes went wide with sudden excitement and he wriggled in the wooden chair to get more comfortable. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I think there's an opening at the animal shelter…"

"I'm good with animals", he interjected gleefully and she had to make a considerable effort not to erupt into laughter. **_Once a shepherd, always a shepherd._**

"Then I'll ask about it. And when the Mayor asks nicely, people are surprisingly obliging." Her voice had regained its distinct ring of authority and confidence. A crooked smile graced her face.

"Thank you, Regina, I really don't know what to say, this means a lot to me."

"I'm just returning the friendly gesture."

"In any case, it's much appreciated." David squinted as he beamed at her with genuine joy, and she couldn't help but be reminded of his nickname. At that moment, he seemed to live up to it. His smile was as disarming as she'd ever seen, and together with the sparkle in his bright blue eyes and his sandy hair, gave him a boyish demeanour. **_But he was no innocent boy._** His broad shoulders and brawny body underneath the bland-coloured clothes reminded her that he was a soldier, a born killer with quick instincts and natural gift for fighting, **_a wolf in sheep's clothing._**

Her gaze unnerved him and he looked away.

"Well, I'll go now, tell Kathryn the good news ", he said as he stood up to leave, towering over her. She got on her feet to see him out.

"I guess I'll see you soon!"

"Looking forward to it," she replied as she watched him striding down the garden path toward the front gate.

She closed the door behind him and stood still for a few moments, her hand lingering on the door knob. _Tabula rasa, _a clean slate, that's what he was_. _Just like Kathryn didn't recall Abigail's past, David didn't recall Charming's; just like Kathryn, David could be made to see a new, all the more compelling side of Madam Mayor.

**As Regina finally stepped toward the kitchen, a memory stopped her in her tracks. **She remembered a time when she wished she had met Charming in another world, in another life, so they wouldn't have to be enemies.

**_After all this time, it seemed she'd gotten her wish._**


	6. Dirty Little Secret

_**Notes: Set after ep.1x10.**__ Regina has seen David and Mary Margaret kissing in the street and has decided to give him one last warning to end the affair. _**_Inspired by Kelly Clarkson - "Dirty Little Secret"._**

* * *

David Nolan's fingers rested lightly on his chin and lower lip as he smiled at the woman on the nearby table. Mary Margaret beamed back at him. Her green eyes, so full of sheer joy and dancing rays of light, reminded him of the sunrise, the birth of a beautiful day. He looked down to his book, then stole another quick glance at her. Her smile grew wider, if that was even possible, making the dimples in the corners of her mouth all the more visible. A soft blush spread on her cheeks and stood out against the milky white skin of the rest of her face.

The distinctive chime of the doorbell rang in the air and by instinct David turned to search for the source. His gaze lingered this time on the woman marching in. A brunette, wearing a stylish high-waist inky skirt and a simple maroon-coloured shirt, bold burgundy lipstick, and a classic-cut black coat hugging her slender figure. With her back straight and head held high, she walked with purpose, with poise and grace and authority. Her dark eyes swept the entire diner, pausing briefly on the school teacher, until finally they fell on him. Her intense glare made the blood run cold in his veins; disappointed, fiery, reprimanding. It made him feel like a criminal caught red-handed: his cheeks started turning crimson, his ears burned.

"David!" Before he could blink, her grumpy pout eased seamlessly into a polite smile. Mayor Mills approached him, intentionally turning her back to Mary Margaret who was sitting on the opposite table. "So nice to run into you. How are you today?"

"Good, good, thank you, just having my morning coffee before heading to work," he muttered under his breath and smiled nervously while trying to avoid looking her directly in the eye.

"Aah, yes, how is work? Are you enjoying it so far? Last week over dinner you didn't mention anything, and I forgot to ask..."

"I can't complain, the fish are great conversationalists." He looked up just in time to see Regina's face light up with a soft chuckle at his joke, and he found himself grinning back at her.

The high-pitched screeching sound that Mary Margaret's chair made as she got up to leave made him flinch. Unlike him, Mayor Mills showed no a sign of being startled. Instead, she simply rolled her eyes at the awkward interruption.

"If you have some time today, please come by my office, I have something important to talk to you about. Regarding Kathryn."

"Yeah, no problem, I'll drop by this afternoon," the blonde man said absent-mindedly as he tried to look past Regina to see the school teacher one last time before she stepped out the door.

* * *

Ever since Emma Swan's unpredictable arrival in Storybrooke, Regina's problems had been piling up by the hour. For every disaster averted, a new threat emerged. But all the effort Mayor Mills put into trying to manage and restrain the blonde's meddling cost her dearly. She had been forced to deal with immediate issues, and thus abandon less significant concerns. Sitting in her black Mercedes Benz the day before, while David Nolan was holding Mary Margaret in his embrace and kissing her without the slightest regard for public opinion, Regina had realized bitterly that she could no longer neglect or postpone her earlier plans for them. Although the Curse still put obstacles in the way of that relationship, they simply weren't enough; even the possibility that Kathryn might be pregnant had not ended the affair. So if the Curse would not break the lovers up, further action was necessary.

The soft knock on the glass doors of the Mayor's office interrupted her heavy thoughts.

"Hey! Can I come in?"

Madam Mayor lifted her gaze from the pile of papers in front of her to the man standing behind the transparent glass.

"Of course."

She set down the document she had been reading. The stack of boxes with paperwork on her desk was so high she had to get up to retrieve the large manila envelope placed behind them. David had just sat down on a magnificent ornate chair next to the massive marble table when Regina joined him. Something placed in front of him caught her eye: it was a basket adorned with a pretty blue ribbon. It was too luxurious to be for a picnic, so she assumed it was a gift basket.

His voice diverted her attention back to him. "You said you wanted to speak to me about Kathryn?"

"Yes." She handed him the envelope and paused to give him time to see its content. Much to his dismay, inside it he found photos of him and Mary Margaret, which showed the two of them kissing and holding hands. He stared at the pictures stupefied: _**his marriage was over**_, that much he realized, but he couldn't decide if he was genuinely upset by that fact.

"Sidney Glass from the newspaper took these photos of you with another woman and he intended to publish them." The words rang in David's ears like a prison sentence. Regina went on. "When he showed them to me, naturally I asked him not to run the story."

Although her tone was business-like and nearly void of emotion, her eyes told a different story. He remembered seeing in them the same condemnation earlier that day during their encounter at Granny's. This time, however, she made no effort to mask it. He didn't blame her, Kathryn was her friend. It was only natural for Regina to be upset to find out about his infidelity, especially since it put her in such a difficult position.

"I…I…", he stuttered. His voice trailed off. He couldn't think of anything to say in his own defence.

"I haven't told your wife about this because I didn't want to worry her over…", she paused, picking her words carefully, " what could be a momentary lapse in judgment."

"Thank you," he exhaled audibly, "It's something I need to sort out…" Unsure what else to say or how she might interpret it, he fell silent.

"Don't worry, David, I won't tell her, as long as you two work it out in the end." Something about the way she said it made it sound like more than a mere wish or request;**_ there was no mistaking that this was an ultimatum_**. He gave her a single nod in response.

"I know that you're a smart man, and that you realize how precious what you and Kathryn have is. I trust you'll give me no further reason to doubt you."

For a few moments, awkward silence hung in the air. David was surprised that Regina would jeopardize her friendship with his wife by keeping this secret from her. Her stern exterior left the impression that she was not type to give people a second chance, and yet that was precisely what she had offered him. The only problem with that was that he didn't know if he would take it. Could he ignore his feelings for Mary Margaret? Could he keep his promise to Kathryn, and Regina, to fix his marriage?

Suddenly, a strange noise coming from the basket gave David an excuse to change the subject.

"Aah, yes, I almost forgot." He pulled the basket closer until it was standing on the edge of the table.

"Before I left the animal shelter to come here, I had an idea. I remembered that last week you mentioned that you and Henry were having some trouble communicating."

Regina's face darkened with the sting of the reminder. The week before, she had met the Nolans twice for dinner and she had shared her concerns that her son kept drifting away from her. She had confided in them how powerless she felt, how terrified, that she was losing him. It had been the truth, but not nearly the whole extent of it. **_How could mere words describe that tug in her chest when Henry's olive eyes, sparkling with intelligence and vivid curiosity, looked at her with awe and affection?_** There was no length she wouldn't go to, to feel that again. To get back to the time when she used to be **his hero, mysteriously all-knowing and all-powerful in his innocent and naive view of the world**. To when she used to tell him time and time again that it was actually **he who was her hero**, it was he who had saved her. He had been too tiny to comprehend the confession, so he would just giggle light-heartedly and pretend he was flying in the sky or fighting an invisible enemy. **She couldn't put into words how much she missed the days before she became a villain to him.**

In reality, there had been no need to explain anything to the Nolans. The emotion had been obvious even in the briefest remark she had made in passing.

David's forehead creased with sympathy.** "I'm no expert, but I thought you could use a little nudge to spend more time together."** A sly smile stole onto his face. "So I think this might help."

Her pupils grew large in wonder. The last thing she'd expected him to do was try to help her mend her relationship with her son. That alone stunned her into silence while she followed his movements with curiosity. He lifted the lid of the basket and took out a puppy: it had large watery eyes and fluffy white fur with a single almond splotch over its head.

"Henry can decide what to name him, but I've been calling him **Spot** for a few days now; I tried to teach him some tricks as well but this little fella seems to have his own opinion." The blonde man grinned as he proudly held out Spot just a few inches from Regina's face. She couldn't help meeting the introduction with a wide smile to match David's. The pleasant grin completely altered her face, instantly replacing the austerity of it with childlike delight.

"I thought you and Henry could play with him together, take him out for walks…" He tried to hand the small animal to her, but she did not take it. Even before she had a chance to reach to touch it, she started sneezing.

"That's very thoughtful of you, really." Her entire body shook violently as she sneezed again. Spot was wagging his tail happily while David held him in the air. Regina managed to stand up in between fits of sneezing, and walked to her desk to retrieve a tissue from a paper box on it. As soon as she was a small distance away from the puppy, her sneezing stopped.

"Unfortunately, I'm allergic to some dogs," she finally managed to get out.

David's enthusiasm evaporated and his grin quickly faded. He put Spot back into the basket and closed the lid, then he stood up. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize."

"It's the thought that counts, and I do appreciate the gesture," she assured him while he was making his way to the door with the basket in hand.

Despite her gratitude, his brow drew tight in disappointment. Just before leaving, he turned back to her. His face was bright again, the twinkle back in his eyes.

**"Here's another idea: you can get him a Gameboy."** Regina's questioning look prompted him to elaborate. "It's just a toy, but I'm sure Henry will like the present. I used to spend hours playing on it when I was a kid."

She nodded in acknowledgement. "Noted."

"And best of all, it won't make you sneeze," he winked at her before disappearing down the stairs.

**She smiled to herself, then returned to the large pile of documents awaiting her attention.**


End file.
